The invention relates to a securing device for a drainage channel as well as to a traversing element and a locking clip for such a securing device.
The patent DE 42 41 707 discloses a securing device for a drainage channel in which a traversing element can be put in place so that its ends lie within recesses in the inner surfaces of the side walls of a channel.
The traversing element is oriented perpendicular to the long axis of the channel in the interior of the channel and comprises attachment devices by means of which to attach a cover to the traversing element and thus to the channel.
The traversing element described in DE 42 41 707 comprises a clamping device that is elastically deformable in such a way that during insertion into the recesses in the channel, it is deformed by the insertion movement of the traversing element. The clamping device here consists of a clamping spring made either of plastic or of a band of stainless steel. By means of such a device the traversing element can be set into the drainage channel in a simple manner, but it presents severe disadvantages, because an attachment system of this kind is expensive to manufacture; the reason is that, in particular in the case of channels with large inside width, a plastic component does not have the necessary stability, so that spring band stainless steel, which is extremely cost-intensive, must be used instead. Furthermore, the geometry of the attachment device described in that patent document requires a considerable amount of material, which in addition reduces the flow cross section in flat channel systems. Another problem is that when the traversing element according to the teaching described in DE 42 41 707 is installed, a spring pressure is exerted on the side walls of the channel, which can impair their stability, in particular in the case of small-sized channels. It is ultimately difficult to position the traversing element precisely, because when it is being inserted it is necessary to work against the increasing spring force of the attachment device. If the position of the traversing element needs to be corrected, the force needed to take the traversing element out of the recesses in the channel is actually substantially greater that that needed to insert it.
The objective of the present invention is to make available a further developed securing device for a drainage channel in which, firstly, less material is required and, secondly, a less expensive material can be used, such that furthermore the flow cross section in channel systems is not substantially reduced.
This objective is achieved with a device according to the present invention, which can include a traversing element and a special locking clip.
An essential idea of the invention is that the traversing element can be placed effortlessly and without any substantial use of force in precisely the predetermined position. only after this has been accomplished is the traversing element in accordance with the invention fixed in that position by pressing or striking lightly on a locking clip disposed on the traversing element. Because during this procedure the traversing element is guided and/or held within the recesses in the channel body, a change of position during the fixation process is practically ruled out.
Another essential aspect of the present invention consists in the design of the locking element as an exchangeable wedge-shaped locking clip or expanding slide, which is movably disposed on the traversing element or plate in such a way that it is possible to shift it between an installation and a stopping position. According to this positionxe2x80x94the installation state or the stopping statexe2x80x94the plate and the locking clip cooperate in a catching and/or clamping manner so that the locking clip is fixed to the plate and cannot be lost unless action is taken to produce an intentional removal of the clip.
In accordance with the invention the plate can be inexpensively made of a relatively small amount of stainless steel, because of the advantageous geometry of the plate. Alternatively, the plate can be made of another material that is inert with respect to the medium flowing in the channel, This material can, for example, be a simple or passivated metal, wood or plastic, in particular hardened plastic. The locking clip itself is preferably made of plastic.
Because of its simple geometry, the plate can be manufactured as a simple pressed component, a single piece of a single material. The combination of several components or materials is not necessary.
To assist mounting of the channel cover the plate is preferably provided with an aperture which, when the plate has been installed, is substantially in the middle on the upper surface of the plate. Attachment of the cover to the traversing element is preferably brought about by the method described in DE 42 41 706 and DE 42 41 707. These methods represent a preferred embodiment, but other kinds of attachment are also conceivable, such as a clamp that encloses the traversing element or the plate at the sides.